The present invention relates, in general, to a method of making a body part or chassis part of a motor vehicle.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
Fiber plastic composite parts can be joined to a metal structure through cathodic electrophoretic enamelling using various one-component epoxy resin adhesive systems. Common to all these adhesive systems is their limitation as far as energy absorption and stress resistance of the adhesive are concerned. Also the tensile shear resistance of these types of adhesive systems could be problematic as a result of varying thermal expansion coefficients when joining a fiber plastic composite with steel. In particular the automobile industry demands high quality of adhesives, especially when body parts of motor vehicles are involved that are subject to high stress.
German Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2004 003 190 A1 discloses a structural assembly for a motor vehicle body in shell construction having an outer shell and an inner shell, with the assembly being reinforced by at least one reinforcement member. The reinforcement member is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic and bonded in flat contact with the shell. The use of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is hereby considered especially beneficial. The actual bonding is realized by means of epoxy adhesive which is so formulated as to cure during painting of the body in the oven. As result, the bonding does not break down even at high temperatures as encountered during body painting. In contrast thereto, the curing process in a two-component adhesive occurs quickly so that the adhesive is already fully cured before the paintjob is executed so that these types of adhesives break down during the paintjob.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to address this problem and to obviate other prior art shortcomings.